Akin4sh:
Me: Good morning
VO- good morning

VO- can I have your passport
Pass and your 1-20
Me: I did

VO: how many times have you been to the US?
Me: 3 times
VO: what was the longest you stayed ?
Me: about 4 weeks


Where do you work right now?
I mentioned the name of the company .
She signaled to me to repeat. Which I did. I guess she’ was trying to confirm what was on my DS-160.

VO: how long have you been working there?
Me: A year and some months



VO: how did you know about the school?
Me: it was highly recommended by my uncle who happens to be my sponsor.
I also did more online research about it. I was also able to visit the school on one of my visits.

VO: Did you pick any other sch?
Me: yes . University of Texas in Dallas

VO: what made you go with this school (University of Dallas)
Me: The recommendation from my Uncle. They offer a course I want to study Information Technology and management which happens to have a detailed course content that Aligns with my career goals.



Types for a bit with a neutral facial expression. Probably Satisfied with my answers

I think I relaxed at this point
She raised her head and asked

Why this course ?

I was honestly caught unaware. I wanted to speak then I stuttered and I started again.
I responded : The tech industry in Nigeria is a booming sector . After i obtain my MSc in Information Technology, coupled with my Bsc in Computer Science and the work experience I have gathered as a Data analyst , I would be equipped with more knowledge and experience bla bla. ( honestly at this point I lost composure )
To be qualified and fit to work in reputable organizations and also my contribute to my uncles tech company ... bla bla

She asked the question again
Why this course?

I had to find how to repeat myself but I know and remember that I didn’t repeat what I said earlier word for word ( and it’s very possible that what I said earlier wasn’t satisfactory, hence her reason for asking again)

She then interrupted and asked

What companies are you looking to work in when you return ; I said Microsoft, Intel, ( I feel like I should have mentioned just one organization) to make it seem like there’s a certain organization and post I’m looking to go after when I return with my MSC

VO : on your last trip to the US did you stay with your Uncle . I said Yes . She was the one that used her mouth to say UNCLE ( and I actually remembered that I’ve been asked this question either on my DS-160 for my B1/B2 or at the point of entry during one of my visits to the US and it has always been my Aunty)
I now said and also , my AUnty . We are also related. In the most hasty tone ever


Types .....

Types

I’m sorry. You’re not eligible for this visa at this time.
On this paper ( hands me the pink sheet) you will find the reasons why .

Me: Takes the sheet and the rest of my documents on the slab and with a big “fakest “ smile . Thank you .

Kendrick99:


Yes I have well paying job!
My first two interviews was in Lagos
Nope! I was promoted at work. That's the only change I made on it.

franklingud:

Lol!!!
No wonder your name is dumb fool

franklingud:

Son, Keep on displaying your stupidity and low life behaviour.
Keep disgracing your parents.

Kendrick99:
Date: 11/06/2019

Embassy Location; Abuja

School Name: Texas State University San Marcos

Program: Industrial Management

Status: Approved.




Vo; Good morning

Me; Good morning How are you?

Vo; pass me your documents.

Me; Ok!

Vo; Have you travelled out of the country before?

Me; Nope! I have never had a reason to.

Vo; Why Do you choose Texas State University as your first trip abroad?

Me; Apart from the fact that the curriculum at Texas State University match directly with my career goal, which I will be taking core course like. Lean manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Project Management. And also Prof Ameri as agreed I join his research team upon my arrival on campus which we will be working on "How Ergonomics affect productivity in Manufacturing Industry", which would be very useful and more practical once I return to Nigeria.


Vo; Ok, did you apply to other schools?

Me; Yes, Texas A&M University Kingsville, University of Central Missouri and Texas State University which is also my first choice.

Vo; Who is paying for your studies?

Me; My Uncle, he is in charge of the Family Business.

Vo; What business?

Me; My Grandfather is a major distributor of Coca-Cola product across Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States, Also we own Two Petrol and Diesel stations in Lagos.

Vo; Can I see a documents to prove that?

Me; Sure! hand over SOA,

Vo; I will be Approving your visa! And placing you on Administrative Processing to verify this account and remember if we find anything fraudulent here, you will be banned for Life, Do you still wish to proceed?

Me; Yes sure!.

Gave me a yellow paper and small white paper telling me about i-20 and all.

Present Status *issued* today.

Nuggets! Always put God first in everything you do. My case is what you call Grace. *No Funding* previously refused Twice Dec 12 2018 & Jan 16 2019 with same school and program. Never give up!

Special thanks to my nairalamd family, Sharwama, Time2win, Leone26(Bobcats), Fairheart, Lagosismyhome, Brown2Green. And to my blaad, Jubril, Pizzle, Simple, Ice, Rayblack, 3310. To everyone yet to be interviewed Prepare hard, Pray, fast if you can! Put God first.

BIMestBabe:


1. Funds I have on my i-20 was a total of 70k dols. What I needed was 46k dols.

2. I'm going for a PhD not second masters.

3. Deficit is 24k dols. Although my assistantship is to be renewed every semester

BIMestBabe:


Well, they just put all that's in my uncle's account as the deficit on my i-20. Deficit should be 24k dols. But they put 70k dols

franklingud:

Am I comparing wizkid and Asa?

Who in his/her right senses will compare the great ASA and small boy wizkid?

Go and get sense before you mention your father.

franklingud:
Yeah your attire is dope but bro, try and change your lyrics to something good.

Not "baby, baby baby" everyday.

dreambound:

I thought your interview was to be on the 10th of this month..you rescheduled?

BIMestBabe:
Good morning house.
I'm new here.
I'll love to post my transcript. Visa delayed
Lagos consulate
June 11th

Vo: good morning with a smile
Me good morning. Smiled
Vo pass your I 20 and passport
Me. Did
Vo -- straight up, can I see a letter backing up your assistantship
Me: sure, so... I search for my funding letter o, took almost a minute.
Vo (while I was still searching for the letters) you're doing your masters? (With an irritated face or so)
Me yes, my final defence is in 2 weeks. Then I gave him the letters
Vo scrutinizes letter.
Plus, I gave him 3 letters. (Funding and contract award letter. Guess that's part of my mistake)
Vo does the letter cover all the 70k dolls,
Me yes, my funding covers all my tuition and stipends for the first semester and will be renewed for subsequent semesters.
Vo. No, you're not answering my question. Is your funding all the 70k dols?
Me. No, my uncle is paying for the rest, do you want to see his bank statements,
Vo no
Vo have you travelled out before
Me no, I haven't have the reason too, till now.
Vo, where does your uncle stay
Me. Lagos, ikorodu.
Vo.. Blabla..not eligible for the visa now... Blablabla.


OK guys, this was my first time. Please, I really need advice. I'm picking abuja this time and I need to get it right. Please gurus in the house, kindly help me.

Brown2Green:


Well.. That's why the VO took them unawares this time around.

Brown2Green:


I don't know if because it was mentioned that fully funded are getting a smooth interview, they became complacent or whatever.

You have zero deficits doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to answer questions.

Infact, a friend going to Stanford with Fellowship was drilled for 3 minutes and he had to answer all the questions.


Funding or no funding , one must be very apt and spontaneous in response.


The VO always has a reason for denial.

Time2win:


Exactly. I think they are sending a message. I have seen like 3 fully funded offer rejected. Whether there is funding or not, one has to be fully prepared.

ay10yahoocom:
[ quote author=Tomiwaa post=79477254]6:30am
Visa delayed.
Good morning pass your I-20 and passport.


Q. How many other schools did you apply to?

Three

Q. Name them.

UCR, USF, LSU.
Q. How did you hear about the schools?

Last year at the annual conference of the Nigerian chapter of the American Chemical society, I networked with a few colleagues who recommended the schools I applied to.

Q. How many gave you admits?
I was rejected two and one waitlist for one.


Q. What kind of work will you be doing?

I will be working as a graduate assistant.

Q. Did you write the GRE?

Yes.

Q. What was your score?
301.

Q. What will you be doing when you return?
I will be returning to conduct research in organic medicinal chemistry. Will be using knowledge of chemistry for organic synthesis of new drugs that can be of medicinal use.

Q. Who is paying for the remaining 12k?

My Uncle.

Q. What does he do?

He imports and distributes building materials.

Can you pass his statement?

Q. Why is this statement not in your sponsor's name?
(froze, in my mind I think I said)
A.. It is a corporate business account owned by my sponsor.....( attempts to flip through the SOA)

Q. What is the name of your sponsor.
Told her.

Game over.
Pink.

Deficit of 12k after Tuition waiver and Assistantship. Sponsor's SOA was his business account.
Last year at the annual conference of the Nigerian chapter of the American Chemical society, I networked with a few colleagues who recommended the schools I applied to.
Check this very well, are sure there's Nigeria chapter of the America Chemical society, not Africa chemical society or international chemical society. Please be sure

Stanmedix:
Have never crossed the 4 walls of the country

Stanmedix:
GA and stipends $32,706
Uncle $12,790
Total 45,496
Total

Stanmedix:
Embassy Location: Abuja

School name: ETSU

Program: MPH

Status: Refused

VO: Good morning, pass me ur passport and I 20
Me: good morning ma, docs passed

VO: why East Tennessee SU? *Though not audible enough
Me: cos of their well structured practically oriented academic curriculum which is what I actually needed for my training so as to be able to impact maximally in our health system once I come back after the program.

VO: I can see u are a doctor, working.... Where did u have ur degree
Me: answered in affirmation

VO: how will you be funding this studies
Me: I have a GA offer which comes with tuition waiver and stipends, my uncle will be assisting with the deficits

VO: Do you have letter from the school for the GA?
Me: No

VO: what will you be doing as a GA?
Me: working with Prof...on his current work on....
Went on explaining details

VO: sorry this paper will explain why you are not eligible for this visa at this time

Green coloured paper handed over. Felt depressed for 2days.
Please guys I need your thorough perusal and advice on what to do.
Thanks in anticipation.

Grass2Green:
I actually uSo I think it depends on how you handle the VO.

Kay100:
Funding doesnt guarantee one's visa bro

fairheart:
You passed every test thrown at you there! Congratulations!

MyAmericandream:
I also have two that got approved today on partial scholarship. One was brief while the other was tasking.

dreambound:
My approved visa transcript..
Vo: Good Morning
Me: Good Morning (wondering why she rushed to tell me first).
Vo: Pass me your passport and I20.
Me: Passed.
Vo: So what Engineering are you going for.
Me: Mechanical
VO: Okay, how did you hear about the school?
Me: ( *my gosh ...I heard bout the school from a friend but Brown2Green and others advised me not to say so..I forgot to prepare another response* )
It was recommended to me by a friend that studies there..but I learnt most of what I know about the University from my visit.
Vo: Nodding, looked like she wasn't listening after I said 'friend'.

Vo: Is this your second F1 Visa?

Me: No.

Vo: You've been to the US?

Me: Yes.

Vo: What's the longest time you've spent there?

Me: 15 days.

Vo: Do you have any family in the US?

Me: No.

Vo: (looks like she saw something in her screen) Your Robotics competition last year, where in the US did you do it?

Me: Albuquerque...and Houston.

Vo: So did you win? (She looked anxious..and from this question she started smiling at me)
Me: We came 6th

Vo: Out of??

Me: (Thinking for about 4 seconds)

Vo: (Smiling) around 60?

Me: I think we were over a hundred.

Vo: Wow..(smiling even more).

Vo: You visited this school?

Me: Yes.

Vo: did you apply to other schools?

Me: Yes.

Vo: Name them

Me: Howard University, Emory University, Trinity College, IIT Chicago, SMU Dallas, Loyola Marymount University..(I didn't mention some others and the federal schools that I applied to)

Vo: (Nodding as I spoke..I heard her saying wow when I mentioned Emory). Okay so did you get into those schools?

Me: I got into Howard, IIT Chicago, SMU Dallas, LMU..(didn't mention a few others that I got into coz I didn't say I applied to them).

Vo: So why did you choose this school?

Me: When I visited their campus, I was impressed with their close knit community and engineering program..I was also admitted into their honors program which opens up more opportunities for me, and then I was given a scholarship.

Vo: Okay (looks at my I20) So who is paying for the remaining cost?

Me: My Parents

Vo: What do they do?
Me: My Dad is the managing director of Bleep and my mum works as an assistant general manager at the bla..bla..

Vo: Your dad's business, what is it?

Me: (couldn't hear, asked her, she repeated). An eye clinic.

Vo: Picks up a white paper.

I was in an illusion when I saw the white paper...was thinking of the past, present and future all at once..I couldn't hear what she was saying (something about pick up in 3 days)..the next thing she gave me back my passport..I was confused..until I saw it was my old passport that she detached and gave back to me..She held my current one.

Vo: Do well in school..have a nice day.

Me: Thank you.

omohakin:
It was/is clearly stated on the fixed deposit statement I gave her i.e prefix before his name.

Yes, the funding letter from the department shows this. She went through the letter thoroughly. I could see her read line by line and she spotted that aspect.

omohakin:
Hello House,
My VISA was approved today at the Abuja Embassy
I will like to say a Big Thank you to everyone who finds time to share valuable information here. This platform has helped me all through this process.

My Key Profile
Washington State University, Pullman
M.Sc. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering option)
Graduate Research Assistant Position (Full tuition waiver and monthly stipends)
No standard test taken: It wasn’t required by the institution (I am not advising this but I couldn’t help because of some constraints. Although I have previously written IELTS 2015)
Refused Canada Study Visa twice 2017
B.Eng Civil Engineering

MY TRANSCRIPT as much as I remember
ME: Good morning ma
VO: Good morning, Pass me your Passport and I-20 (an aged white woman- window 9)
ME: Alright ma. Here it is
VO: oohh…you’re going to Washington State University (she glanced through my I-120). She nods. why this school?
ME: Aside being offered a GRA position that comes with a full tuition waiver and monthly stipends, I have vested interest in the current research of Prof. Bleep on unsaturated soils. Geotechnical engineering research at WSU is carried out in collaboration and supported by funds by the US National Science Foundation, US Department of Transportation, US Department of Energy and US Federal Highway Administration and other private companies. Also… (VO cuts in)
VO: What will you do after your program
ME: I will return to Nigeria and Take up a Senior Project Engineer Position with Julius Berger NIg. I had my internship here and they give priorities to past interns more so haven added an international exposure, this is be a great advantage for me. I…(VO Cuts in)
VO: I see you applied to Canada
ME: yes ma, that is true. I applied in 2017 for a study visa but was refused. The VO raised concerned about my financial ability to fund this program. I…. (VO nods……and cuts in)
VO: Do you have a letter from the department confirming your assistantship and funding
ME: Yes ma. I do. (presented the letter)
VO: (she read thru the dept. letter thoroughly) …I can see you have to pay a residence fee of 1k USD. How will you pay that? do you have a financial statement?
ME: yes, ma I do (I presented my dad’s Fixed deposit bank statement for the past 3months), it is my dad’s statement…. (VO Cuts in) (although the money will be deducted gradually from my monthly stipends as stated in my letter. My monthly stipend is close to 2k USD. I didn’t say this as I felt it will show I don’t have any personal fund)
VO: oohh. your dad. What does he do?
ME: He is a principal manager (electrical) with Bleep. He… (VO cuts in)
VO: oohh I see your dad is also an engineer
ME: Yes ma. He is an electrical engineer.
VO: (VO nods) …congratulations, your VISA is approved. She started saying the regular things of don’t overstay stuff, make sure you do this do that…present your I-20…e.t.c
ME: yes maa. I do understand …. Thank you… (I took my leave)

Too many refused Visas during my stay in the hall. I think I saw just like 3 approvals…one old couple, a guy which I saw had full funding also and a young lady who said she came to renew her VISA. She is an undergraduate at Ohio State University.

Above all Preparation and Effort(s), God favored me. A big thank you to Bwiizy, Solihp for their support. Also, I never fail to go through comments made by Bracelum, Time2win, Brown2Green, Shawarma and others too many to mention. I wish those awaiting their interview, admission or funding Success.

Time2win:



You can wear anything you are comfortable with. Just be presentable.

Leone26:


Lolz. My dear he was on a 3-piece suit o. She asked him like 3 times to tell her why he wanted to study that course (Accounting), and what it would do for him. He kept on saying that he has a passion for teaching and so on.

Pls check through my transcript for my COA as well as the funding I have. I definitely can't be the first she approved cos I was for 7 a.m., and many where there for 6.30 & 6.45 a.m.

Anapuna01:
Pls my transcript is below...
Pls help me review n criticise!!!

Vo. Why r u here?
Am here for my F1 student visa interview.
Vo. What r u going to do in d us?
Am going for my masters studies in public policy and administration @ Jackson state uni Mississippi
Vo. How did u hear abt JSU?
In my undergraduate studies in 2013, I used a textbook material on management and administrative theories published by prof......xyz. I made further research to discover that prof...xyz is a product of jsu and he lectures at jsu
Vo. Why JSU?
Jsu is one of the top HBCU in d us and d program offered by d PPA dept has NASPAA accreditation, that's y I prefer jsu
Vo. Why MPPA?
MPPA will afford me a better opportunity &be at advantage to work with d govt( both local and state govt) when u return to Nigeria because d govt values young pple who av gained international exposures from there studies exp in d us.also d program will enable me build professional competencies in d public sector and d dept requirements matches my profile.
Vo. Who is ur sponsor?
My dad..he's sponsoring both my tuition n living expenses($29,104)
He has a business that deals in supply of fuel products to private n govt institutions.
Vo. Any scholarship or G.A funding?
Not yet, I emailed my dept chair Dr....xyz abt scholarship n GA he said once d session resumes that there is a partial funding assistantship available....